At the Mes de Danza # 23 contemporary dance festival (October 26 – November 6), the SHAPERS project had its first artistic residency. This residency was held with the Moroccan and Egyptian dancers in the project, as well as the 2 Spanish dancers selected in the audition that preceded the residence.
Mes de Danza [Seville, Spain] Since its first edition in 1994, the main objective of Mes de Danza Festival is to explore dance in its widest and most varied approaches and trends, and to link performances with the audience (whether familiar or not with dance). Beyond its role as a festival, Mes de Danza has contributed to shape and strengthen the local dance scene, in Andalusia and Spain. www.mesdedanza.es
A two-day workshop and audition took place October 17th and 18th in Sevilla, Spain. Following this workshop, two Spanish dancers were selected to join the creation of the choreographic piece, SHAPERS, during the artistic residency during the Mes de Danza Contemporary Dance Festival #23.
This was the first public presentation of the performance.
This phase of the project included getting in touch with local actors from the danse scene in Seville.
Mes de Danza [Seville, Spain] Since its first edition in 1994, the main objective of Mes de Danza Festival is to explore dance in its widest and most varied approaches and trends, and to link performances with the audience (whether familiar or not with dance). Beyond its role as a festival, Mes de Danza has contributed to shape and strengthen the local dance scene, in Andalusia and Spain. www.mesdedanza.es
The very beginnings of the SHAPERS projet took place at Espace Darja, in Casablanca, with a dance workshop for a group of 15 dancers from September 26th to October 9th, 2016, followed by an audition in which two Moroccan dancers were selected for the creation of the choreographic piece, SHAPERS.
Let’s start to deal with the street… How does the body interact with public space and people in an urban environment?
“It’s been 10 days that I see the 12 dancers selected for the first workshop period of the project SHAPERS arriving every morning in Casablanca. 10 days that I watch them work and despite an unfortunately fluctuating energy for many, the desire to be part of this experience seems general…More than ever, we are convinced that such long-term projects are indispensable, especially in our countries where training is often lacking and where it is difficult to make these young dancers understand that dance and their choice to be a dancer require a total commitment (even more so during working hours). Because when the magic operates and we witness those moments of grace in the streets of Casablanca and we are all without exception driven by the energy that brings them together and the tension that drives them, we can only see the part of an artist that they carry within themselves, of which they may not really be aware but which once revealed, will never allow them to go back…”
-Meryem Jazouli, Director of l’Espace Darja
The two dancers selected for the project in Morocco :
Espace Darja [Casablanca, Morocco] founded by choreographer Meriem Jazouli, is a place for artistic residencies and cultural experimentation, locally known as a platform for dialogue, encounters, and performances. Its aim is to develop contemporary dance in Morocco. www.espacedarja.com
Partners of the SHAPERS project presented at the internationale tanzmesse nrw, a biennial gathering of contemporary dance professionals in Düsseldorf, Germany. They spoke about their exploration of how dance can help to renegotiate the perception and role of the body in public spaces in the Mediterranean through their project during a T-Talk.
The impact of dance in a public setting varies across cultural regions. Depending on the cultural background, it relates to the role of the body in public. Partners from France, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Morocco, Spain and Egypt have joined forces as part of the EU project SHAPERS, which will present dance in public settings at festivals. As part of the project presentation, the cooperation partners are exploring how dance can help to renegotiate the perception and role of the body in public in the Mediterranean.
Internationale tanzmesse nrw gathers artists from more than 50 countries in Europe, the Americas, Africa and Asia providing an equal opportunity to present their work to a professional audience. The Tanzmesse is an event dedicated to contemporary dance without any specific geographical focus.
A workshop and audition took place from April 16th to 20th and 22nd to 26th in Alexandria (Egypt), within the Nassim el Raqs laboratory for in situ creations. The workshop was led by Anne Le Batard, Jean-Antoine Bigot and Corinne Pontana from the Ex Nihilo dance company. Following the workshop, two Egyptian dancers were selected during an audition for the training program designed around the creation of the choreographic piece SHAPERS.
The two dancers selected for the project in Egypt:
Momkin – espaces de possibles [Marseilles, France] aims at initiating and accompanying artistic and cultural projects within cities and territories across the Mediterranean region, by creating, producing, and performing artistic works, as well as through the development of cultural and intercultural projects, of training programmes and awareness building campaigns. Since 2011, Momkin has carried out the Nassim el Raqs festival, featuring artistic initiatives linked to the city of Alexandria. www.momkin.co
With Jean Antoine Bigot, Shahd el Khattabi, and the dancers participating in the SHAPERS workshop and audition.
Nassim El Raqs #6 Teaser : Sarah Limorté, mediator of Momkin – espaces de possibles and coordinator of the training program for volunteers of the Nassim el-Raqs festival.
Images: Nassim el-raqs festival volunteers team.
Following this workshop, two Egyptian dancers were selected for the creation of the choreographic piece, SHAPERS.
Nassim el Raqs is a festival in Alexandria, Egypt, in which artists are invited to take over a location in Alexandria and to develop a piece of work from the meeting between their art and the city. Although mainly based in contemporary dance, Nassim el Raqs also involves artists from different disciplines such as visual arts, sound composition, and theater.
Concept design / filming protocole: Nicolas Bôle, Djela Samba.
Post production: Nicolas Bôle
Filming the environment, looking at the city we are in
The ‘square of the 7 lamp posts’ is a key place in the history of the festival Nassim el Raqs. The company Ex Nihilo created the performance Mashy in 2013, and since, we call the garage and its surrounding area “Garage Mashy”.
Its inhabitants and workers have become friends and accomplices since that moment. Washing the tires to prepare them for our work, giving advice on the choreography, setting up the space to make the work easier, the Garage Mashy has become one of the most enjoyable places for creation or for rehearsals for Nassim el raqs and Ex Nihilo.
